Archives for July 2011

Time for a Reboot!

July 18, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I recently watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, a film my Joe Cross, who documented his 60-day juice fast. This documentary is fabulous and I recommend it to everyone. Check out the film’s site and watch the trailer. Cross also started Reboot Your Life, a fruit/veggie/juice program to detoxify and energize your body. Who can’t use a reboot once in a while? I sure could. For the last couple of months, I’ve been feeling mentally sluggish and I know I haven’t been eating as well as I could have.

I just got a publisher for my book, so now is not the time to be feeling mentally fatigued—I have a lot of work in front of me and I’m thinking this no-caffeine-no-alcohol-no-processed-foods-all-fruit-and-vegetable reboot is exactly what I need to jump start my drive and motivation. Lucky for me, I love my fruit and veggies.

The Reboot site tells you everything you need to know to get started and includes tons of recipes to help you. My hegans won’t be partaking in this challenge and I promised last week to make them a tater tot casserole, so it will be a true test for me: to not sneak a tot! However, the recipes on the site look amazing: Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Mushrooms and Sage, Lettuce Wraps, and Pear Squash Soup. Off to the store I went:

Each one of these bags is filled with fruits and veggies. I don’t think I’ve ever bought this much produce in one shopping trip before. And you know what? It felt great. Not one processed, packaged, item to be had. I’m not sure how long I plan on rebooting, but I’d like to set a goal of 7 days and then see where I’m at. So stayed tuned for some new recipes as I take this veggie voyage to Reboot Land!

Green Monster and Carrot-Ginger Juice

Asian Veggie Salad with Almonds

July 13, 2011 by epicureanvegan

This is a simple summer salad that is ideal for parties and picnics. It’s also easy to throw together and I love the Asian dressing, too—gives it a yummy, peanutty-flavor.

INGREDIENTS:
1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 C corn kernels, thawed (if frozen)
1-1/2 C cabbage, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 C edamame, thawed (if frozen)
1/2 a cucumber, sliced, then halved
1 C slivered almonds
1/3 C Light Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing (from Kraft)

DIRECTIONS:
In a small, dry skillet, toast the almonds for a few minutes, until they begin to brown.

In a large bowl, combine all the veggies. Add the dressing and coat thoroughly. Note: if you are making this ahead of time, stir in the nuts just before serving, as they can get mushy if they sit too long in the dressing. Enjoy!

Asian Veggie Salad with Almonds

This is a simple summer salad that is ideal for parties and picnics. It's also easy to throw together and I love the Asian dressing, too---gives it a yummy, peanutty-flavor.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 C corn kernels, thawed (if frozen)
1-1/2 C cabbage, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 C edamame, thawed (if frozen)
½ a cucumber, sliced, then halved
1 C slivered almonds
⅓ C Light Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing (from Kraft)

Directions

In a small, dry skillet, toast the almonds for a few minutes, until they begin to brown.
In a large bowl, combine all the veggies. Add the dressing and coat thoroughly. Note: if you are making this ahead of time, stir in the nuts just before serving, as they can get mushy if they sit too long in the dressing. Enjoy!

Vegan and Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes

July 12, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I used the same recipe for these, as the red velvet cake I made a couple of months ago. I wasn’t sure how making the batter into cupcakes would work out, but in the end, they were delicious!! To begin with, it’s never easy to figure out how full to fill the muffin cups. I went with about 2/3 to 3/4 full, and I got 23 cupcakes. They puffed up a bit, so I recommend filling them halfway which will probably yield more than 24. These are certainly sinful and not something I recommend making on a weekly basis, but rather to enjoy as an occasional treat!

INGREDIENTS:
1 C gluten-free vanilla rice milk
1 tsp cider vinegar
2-1/2 C Betsy’s Baking Mix (recipe below)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp xanthan gum
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 C palm oil shortening
2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1-oz red food coloring
1/4 C + 3 Tbs unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs distilled white vinegar
1 tsp baking soda
1 recipe butter cream frosting (below)
Betsy’s Making Mix: this makes 7-1/2 cups–remember, use just 2-1/2 cups of it.
3-3/4 C garbanzo bean flour
2-1/4 C potato starch
1-1/2 C tapioca starch/flour
Buttercream Frosting:
1 C Earth Balance margarine
4 to 4-1/2 C confectioner’s sugar
Vanilla rice milk

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Make your baking mix first: Combine all the flours in a large zip-lock bag. Using a whisk, blend them well. Then seal tightly and shake it vigorously for 1 minute. This mix will stay good for up to 3 months. Place muffin liners into muffin pan and set aside.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the rice milk and cider vinegar to create “buttermilk” and set aside. In a small bowl, use a spoon to combine the cocoa powder and food coloring. (Keep in mind that 1 ounce is a full-sized bottle of food coloring). It will form a paste:

In a large bowl, combine 2-1/2 cups of the baking mix, salt, and xanthan gum. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and palm oil shortening. Add the applesauce and vanilla and cream everything together until mixture is light and creamy. Add the cocoa paste and mix well.

Alternately, add the dry ingredients and the “buttermilk” mixture to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Pour the white vinegar into a small cup and sprinkle the baking soda over it. Immediately pour the fizzing combo into the cake batter and thoroughly mix it in.

Fill each muffin cup about halfway with batter. I find that it’s easiest to hold the muffin cup in my hand and use a small spoon to drop filling in the cup. I then place it into the muffin pan. Works great and you can avoid getting batter on the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting cream the vegan margarine until smooth. Little by little, add the confectioner’s sugar. Add the vanilla rice milk 1-2 tablespoons at a time until you reach a thick consistency. I beat this for several minutes to not only cream all the margarine, but to make it good and fluffy.

Layer the tops of the cupcakes with some frosting and enjoy!

Vegan and Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes

I used the same recipe for these, as the red velvet cake I made a couple of months ago. I wasn't sure how making the batter into cupcakes would work out, but in the end, they were delicious!! To begin with, it's never easy to figure out how full to fill the muffin cups. I went with about ⅔ to ¾ full, and I got 23 cupcakes. They puffed up a bit, so I recommend filling them halfway which will probably yield more than 24. These are certainly sinful and not something I recommend making on a weekly basis, but rather to enjoy as an occasional treat!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 C gluten-free vanilla rice milk
1 tsp cider vinegar
2-1/2 C Betsy’s Baking Mix (recipe below)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp xanthan gum
1-1/2 cups sugar
½ C palm oil shortening
2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1-oz red food coloring
¼ C + 3 Tbs unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs distilled white vinegar
1 tsp baking soda
1 recipe butter cream frosting (below)
Betsy’s Making Mix: this makes 7-1/2 cups–remember, use just 2-1/2 cups of it.
3-3/4 C garbanzo bean flour
2-1/4 C potato starch
1-1/2 C tapioca starch/flour
Buttercream Frosting:
1 C vegan margarine
4 to 4-1/2 C confectioner’s sugar
Vanilla rice milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.
Make your baking mix first: Combine all the flours in a large zip-lock bag. Using a whisk, blend them well. Then seal tightly and shake it vigorously for 1 minute. This mix will stay good for up to 3 months. Place muffin liners into muffin pan and set aside.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the rice milk and cider vinegar to create “buttermilk” and set aside. In a small bowl, use a spoon to combine the cocoa powder and food coloring. (Keep in mind that 1 ounce is a full-sized bottle of food coloring). It will form a paste.
In a large bowl, combine 2-1/2 cups of the baking mix, salt, and xanthan gum. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and palm oil shortening. Add the applesauce and vanilla and cream everything together until mixture is light and creamy. Add the cocoa paste and mix well.
Alternately, add the dry ingredients and the “buttermilk” mixture to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Pour the white vinegar into a small cup and sprinkle the baking soda over it. Immediately pour the fizzing combo into the cake batter and thoroughly mix it in.
Fill each muffin cup about halfway with batter. I find that it's easiest to hold the muffin cup in my hand and use a small spoon to drop filling in the cup. I then place it into the muffin pan. Works great and you can avoid getting batter on the pan.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting cream the vegan margarine until smooth. Little by little, add the confectioner’s sugar. Add the vanilla rice milk 1-2 tablespoons at a time until you reach a thick consistency. I beat this for several minutes to not only cream all the margarine, but to make it good and fluffy.
Layer the tops of the cupcakes with some frosting and enjoy!

Spicy Field Roast-Stuffed Fillo Cups

July 11, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Sorry for the lousy picture—I took it with my iphone since I didn’t have my camera on hand. Don’t let it deter you from trying these tasty appetizers. They’re easy to make and a sure crowd-pleaser.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Field Roast Chipotle-flavored sausages
6 green onions, sliced
6 mushrooms, diced small
1 can water chestnuts, diced small
2 pkgs Athens mini fillo shells (30 shells)
1-2 tsp olive oil
Daiya cheddar-flavored cheese shreds

DIRECTIONS:
Cut the Field Roast into large pieces and grind them up in a food processor.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the water chestnuts, green onions, and mushrooms. Cook for a few minutes.

Add the Field Roast and cook another 5-7 minutes, or until everything is heated through.

Place a pinch of Daiya cheese in the bottom of the fillo cup, top with a spoonful of the mixture. You can easily make more than 30 with this mix, otherwise, save any leftovers for a breakfast burrito! Enjoy!

Spicy Field Roast-Stuffed Fillo Cups

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

2 Field Roast Chipotle-flavored sausages
6 green onions, sliced
6 mushrooms, diced small
1 can water chestnuts, diced small
2 pkgs Athens mini fillo shells (30 shells)
1-2 tsp olive oil
Daiya cheddar-flavored cheese shreds

Directions

Cut the Field Roast into large pieces and grind them up in a food processor.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the water chestnuts, green onions, and mushrooms. Cook for a few minutes.
Add the Field Roast and cook another 5-7 minutes, or until everything is heated through.
Place a pinch of Daiya cheese in the bottom of the fillo cup, top with a spoonful of the mixture. You can easily make more than 30 with this mix, otherwise, save any leftovers for a breakfast burrito! Enjoy!

Tacos with Pear Cilantro Slaw

July 1, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I can’t make anything with cilantro in it and not think of my friend, Kerrie. She often checks out my recipes, but when one of them has cilantro in it, she’s very upfront with me about her dislike for the herb. Even just talking about it with her induces her gag reflex. I on the other hand, love it and so I apologize, Kerrie, that the last 2 recipes I’ve posted have had a cup of *gag* cilantro in them! I guarantee however, you’d like these tacos sans your least favorite herb . . . 🙂 The recipe is from VegNews and I made some minor alterations. For one, I couldn’t find Korean red pepper and I left off the avocados (much to my dismay) because they were priced at $1.99 each! They still turned out delish—especially with that cilantro!

INGREDIENTS:
For the tofu:
6 garlic cloves, crushed (I used minced)
1/4 C soy sauce (or tamari)
2 rounded Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs sesame seeds
1 Tbs peanut oil or vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
2 tsp tomato paste (I froze the rest)
1-1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp Korean red pepper (I used regular red pepper)
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 8 slices

For the Pear Cilantro Slaw:
1 large Asian pear
2-1/2 C finely shredded cabbage
1 C chopped cilantro
1-2 jalapeno peppers, roasted and finely chopped (I used 1 rounded Tbs of canned)
2 green onions, finely chopped|
3 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs agave
1/2 tsp salt
The rest:
8 tortillas
8 leaves of green lettuce
2 avocados, sliced
(Optional): mung, soybean, or radish sprouts, hot sauce. I added a shredded carrot.
I also decided to make a sour cream dressing: 1/2 C Tofutti sour cream mixed with some lime juice, garlic salt, and cumin—to taste.

DIRECTIONS:
For the tofu, whisk together the soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, sesame seeds, peanut oil (or other oil), tomato paste, sesame oil, red pepper powder, and green onions.

I used an 8″x8″ baking dish, poured some marinade in it, placed the tofu on top, then layered on the rest of the marinade. Spread it around evenly.

The recipe says to marinate for 20 minutes, but since I had some time earlier in the afternoon, I made it then and stuck it in the fridge—tightly covered.

To make the slaw, quarter the pear, remove the core and grate it, using the largest holes on a box grater. Squeeze the pear shreds of excess liquid. Place in a large bowl and add the other slaw ingredients; combine well.

Over medium-high heat, heat a cast iron, or other skillet and spray with cooking spray. Cook the tofu for about 3 minutes per side, or until brown along the edges. The recipe didn’t specify whether or not to keep the marinade, so I just added it with the tofu.

I then sliced each tofu slab into 3 pieces to make it easier to eat in a taco.

Serve in a warmed tortilla with the lettuce leaf, carrot (and any other optional ingredient), slaw, and tofu. I also drizzle on some of my sour cream sauce. So delicious!! Enjoy!

Tacos with Pear Cilantro Slaw

The recipe is from VegNews and I made some minor alterations. For one, I couldn't find Korean red pepper and I left off the avocados (much to my dismay) because they were priced at $1.99 each! They still turned out delish.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

For the tofu:
6 garlic cloves, crushed (I used minced)
¼ C soy sauce (or tamari)
2 rounded Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs sesame seeds
1 Tbs peanut oil or vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
2 tsp tomato paste (I froze the rest)
1-1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
½ tsp Korean red pepper (I used regular red pepper)
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 8 slices
For the Pear Cilantro Slaw:
1 large Asian pear
2-1/2 C finely shredded cabbage
1 C chopped cilantro
1-2 jalapeno peppers, roasted and finely chopped (I used 1 rounded Tbs of canned)
2 green onions, finely chopped|
3 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs agave
½ tsp salt
The rest:
8 tortillas
8 leaves of green lettuce
2 avocados, sliced
(Optional): mung, soybean, or radish sprouts, hot sauce. I added a shredded carrot.
I also decided to make a sour cream dressing: ½ C Tofutti sour cream mixed with some lime juice, garlic salt, and cumin---to taste.

Directions

For the tofu, whisk together the soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, sesame seeds, peanut oil (or other oil), tomato paste, sesame oil, red pepper powder, and green onions.
I used an 8"x8" baking dish, poured some marinade in it, placed the tofu on top, then layered on the rest of the marinade. Spread it around evenly.
The recipe says to marinate for 20 minutes, but since I had some time earlier in the afternoon, I made it then and stuck it in the fridge---tightly covered.
To make the slaw, quarter the pear, remove the core and grate it, using the largest holes on a box grater. Squeeze the pear shreds of excess liquid. Place in a large bowl and add the other slaw ingredients; combine well.
Over medium-high heat, heat a cast iron, or other skillet and spray with cooking spray. Cook the tofu for about 3 minutes per side, or until brown along the edges. The recipe didn't specify whether or not to keep the marinade, so I just added it with the tofu.
I then sliced each tofu slab into 3 pieces to make it easier to eat in a taco.
Serve in a warmed tortilla with the lettuce leaf, carrot (and any other optional ingredient), slaw, and tofu. I also drizzle on some of my sour cream sauce. So delicious!! Enjoy!

Time for a Reboot!

Asian Veggie Salad with Almonds

Vegan and Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes

Spicy Field Roast-Stuffed Fillo Cups

Tacos with Pear Cilantro Slaw

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